Friday, October 18, 2024

Thursday

Changed the bed, washed the sheets, and re-made during breakfast (I seem to always do it this way). After, I spent time researching rentals in Jersey for a possible move sometime in the future. This would be only part of the year; ideally, I'd be back here during several of the winter months. 

Went over to Von's (something I seem to do almost daily--I'm in a rut!) for their 10 for $10 specials and strawberries. I felt a little down for some reason, maybe because it was cloudy and overcast all day. To cheer up, I  packed a sandwich, a book, and an IPA and ate in the middle area. Because I seem to be in a decadent phase, I then watched a half-hour of a documentary on Elvis--it was mediocre. I then took a short nap--talk about decadent!  I think my mood was affected by the fact that since Monday when Ellen and Greg were here and a few phone calls, I haven't had much contact with family or friends. Okay, next week is shaping up better:

Monday: Dinner with the Soaring Spirits gang

Tuesday: the Dudley House covered dish with Lora 

Wednesday: Lunch with Diane at the Urbane Café

Thursday: getting my right hearing aid adjusted at HEAR USA (well, that ain't no fun)

After dinner, I got a call from Victoria Care Center. about Jim's progress and things seem fairly okay. The woman (it wasn't the social worker I've talked to before) said his wounds are healing on knees, ankles, and arm. Her English was difficult to understand, so I didn't ask many questions, just thanked her for calling.  

Literary Notes: I'm re-reading two books that I value very highly. One is When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi, M.D., who was the chief resident in neurosurgery at Stanford. He was a high achiever all his life: Yale under- and graduate degrees, M.D. from Stanford, and so on, married to the L. of his L.--he had about all life has to offer. Then he developed cancer and died at 37. As this book shows, he was also a wonderfully profound writer and thinker on life's unanswerable questions.  When I finished it--each time--I felt a personal loss. 

                                                 

Paul Kalanithi, M/D.

The other book is War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning, by Chris Hedges. This is about the fourth time I've read it over ten or so years. Hedges is one of my favorite writers and thinkers and this book is one of the reasons why. He also writes for many of the pacifist on-line journals to which I subscribe, including Consortium News and SheerPost. 


Chris Hedges

No comments:

TUESDAY

I started off the morning with some annoying problems with Amazon Japan re Christmas gifts, but I don't want to go into detail.  Left at...